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October 2003 IBEW Journal
L.U. 1298 (u), MORRISTOWN, NJLocal 1298 members and officers have been actively fighting the union-busting tactics of our employer, FirstEnergy Corporation of Akron, OH. FirstEnergy has abolished the concept of progressive discipline and instead has been suspending union workers for minor infractions, being involved in accidents, and not being available for callouts. Initial suspensions are for five days and in some cases as many as 10 days without pay. One lineman was fired after not taking a callout for the third time. As well as using the grievance procedures, Local 1298 and the other IBEW System Council U-3 Locals, 327, 1303, 1309 and 1289, have taken these issues to the New Jersey Department of Labor, to a hearing before the New Jersey State Legislature Assembly Labor Committee, and to the FirstEnergy shareholders meeting. At the shareholders meeting, the officers of all the FirstEnergy IBEW locals donned red IBEW t-shirts and distributed flyers detailing the poor ethics rating of FirstEnergy. They also spoke out in the meeting itself. L.U. 1298 has started a web site, http://www.ibew1298.org, which provides news about the company and provides a forum for news and announcements from U-3 locals. John D. Bartram, P.S.
L.U. 1426 (i,o,rtb,spa&u), GRAND FORKS, NDThe local regretfully reports the passing of several retired members and one active member: Bro. Wade Hoar, who was a an outside branch groundman and a member since March of 2000; and retired Bros. Melvin Lembke (inside wireman), John Gunderson (Moorhead Public Service), Duane Moen (NSP), Lewellyn Lee (inside wireman), Thomas Beard (NSP) and Calvin Newcomb (NSP). Our condolences to their families and friends. On May 9, the local and the Dakotas area-wide JATC held a completion ceremony for our graduating apprentices. Apprentice graduates are: Sam Bailey, Damon Balsdon, Jay Becker, Ryan Bjugstad, Seth Brown, Aaron Burchfield, Alan Desautel, Blair Fauske, Travis Franklin, Ryan Hallet, Michael Lee, Chad McKibbin, Travis Moser, Chris Thompson, Seth Thompson, Aaron VanBeek and Chad Wachala. Congratulations to all. On July 4, the members of the Cavalier Air Force Station Unit (Mason & Hanger) participated in a parade held in Park River, with Bro. Bill Lage pulling the float in his 57 Chevy. The ND Fishing Derby is Feb. 28, 2004, at Devils Lake. Scott Sansburn, Org.
L.U. 2150 (govt,lctt,o&u), MILWAUKEE, WIOn Feb. 13, 2003, former Bus. Mgr. Jerome "Jerry" Ceel received his 50-year IBEW service award. Jerry has been an active IBEW member since becoming a lineman at the age of 30 in 1951. He was initiated as a member of Milwaukee Local 494. At age 18 in 1939, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1940, and volunteered to be a member of the First Special Service Force during World War II. During his five years in Special Forces, he earned three Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Following the war, he returned to Milwaukee and became a member of the Amalgamated Transit Union until his opportunity for lineman came in 1951. Under Jerrys leadership as business manager, from 1964 until his retirement in 1982, Local 2150s jurisdiction grew from representing physical workers at Wisconsin Electric to include nuclear, clerical, technical, gas, and municipal workers. At age 82, he still serves the IBEW as a delegate to the Milwaukee County Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Thanks go to Jerry for his continued contributions. Nancy Wagner, P.S.
L.U. 2286 (u), BEAUMONT, TXIn June, Local 2286 and Bus. Mgr. Randy Albin hosted the seventh Customer Service Representative (CSR) Summit at Local 53 in Kansas City, MO. Local 2286 chief steward Mona Mack, of Beaumont Phone Center, moderated and Tamara Geier of Local 1483, Omaha, NE, acted as scribe. Issues discussed were "quality monitoring," health and safety, and organizing strategies. IBEW Eleventh District Int. Reps. Jerry E. Harris and C. J. King, Jr. attended the summit. Other IBEW members attending included: Lorena Rosas, Reuben Sepulveda and Bus. Rep. Geralyn Washington-Tatum of Local 18, Los Angeles, CA; Aleasha Harris, Dixie Brunner and Bus. Rep. Bruce VanCompernolle of Local 53, Kansas City, MO; B. Gayle Heitman, Ruth Malloy and Bus. Mgr. Paul Lira of Local 304, Topeka, KA; Carol Ginthner and Marian L. Burns of Local 396, Las Vegas, NV; DeVon Johnson, Kim Melton and Tamara Geier of Local 1483, Omaha, NE; Eric Thompson, Jeff Harris and Bus. Mgr. Cindy Pereira of Local 1523, Wichita, KS; and Jerry Archer, Kelly Lemons and Carol Canday of Local 1613, Kansas City, MO. The eighth CSR Summit is scheduled for Oct. 24, 2003. Local 2286 Executive Board member Leonard R. Reed was elected mayor of Willis, TX, in May 2003. Congratulations, Brother Reed! Kitty Prouse, P.S.
L.U. 2320 (t), MANCHESTER, NHBy the time you read this, hopefully we will have settled with Verizon. Verizon deep pockets flooded the airways and print media with all sorts of propaganda. The company geared up by beefing up their security arm with thousands of rent-a-cops, and since we did not go out they have nothing else to do but harass our members. The mobilization committee, led by Bill ONeil and Russ Delaney, has been doing a fantastic job. The Collette Lemay Scholarship winners were as follows: Adam Newell, son of Bro. Mark and Sister Gail Newell; Sarah Fallon, Daughter of Sister Karen Camire and Bro. Dan Fallon; and Ryan Molloy, son of Sister Susan Molloy. Bus. Mgr. Glenn Brackett and other new members of the Executive Board were sworn in by Int. Rep. Carol Fitzgerald, who represented 2nd District Int. Vice Pres. Frank J. Carroll. Bus. Mgr. Brackett reminds everyone to always protect your license. John Murphy, P.S. |
